"My body felt very heavy"...Despite 5-0 victory, coach disappointed, women's soccer Kim Min-ji hat-trick
The Korean women's soccer team defeated Myanmar 5-0 in their first Asian Games match. While Kim Min-ji scored a hat-trick, coach Shin Sang-woo expressed regret first, saying the players felt heavy in the early stages.
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
Three-line summary
- Korean women's soccer won 5-0 against Myanmar in Group F's first match of the Asian Games on September 14.
- Midfielder Kim Min-ji, born in 2003, recorded a hat-trick, accounting for 3 of the 5 goals.
- The next matches are Bangladesh on September 17 at 4 p.m., and North Korea on 21 at 4 p.m.
On the night of September 14, at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan. The Korean women's soccer national team opened Myanmar's goal five times in Group F's first match of the Asian Games. Looking only at the score, it was a complete victory. But the first thing the commander said after the match was regret, not praise. There is one issue: whether the 5-goal victory also proved their performance.
Kim Min-ji hat-trick, 3 of 5 goals against Myanmar
NewsisAccording to, Korea on that day defeated Myanmar 5-0and started group play. At the center was Kim Min-ji (23). Korea Dailyreported that Kim Min-ji hat-trickled to victory, and the Korean Football Association website also posted the same news. Of 5 goals, 3 goals, 60% came from one player's feet.
Veteran Jang Seul-ki (32) reportedly added 1 goal. The number of assists varies by media. Korea Daily wrote 2 assists in the subtitle and 3 assists in the main text, while Newsis wrote 2 assists. Jang Seul-ki is a century club member who completed 100 A-matches against Czech Republic in February 2024.
Coach Shin Sang-woo (50) immediately after the match Yonhapnewsin the assessment conveyed, said "In the early stages, the players' bodies felt very heavy, and it's regrettable that the promised play didn't come out." The points he raised were two things: early offensive play and the players' physical condition. The coach brought up first a part that could be obscured by the number 5 goals.
Kim Min-ji age 23, overcoming ACL tear to become national team's main striker
Kim Min-ji was born on August 21, 2003, and is 23 years old. On the Korean Football Association national team roster, she is listed as a midfielder for Seoul City Hall. Standing 171 cm tall, she began playing soccer on the boys team of Seogang Elementary School in Seoul and went through Daejeon Daedeok University. She was selected first in the 2024 women's professional soccer rookie draft by Seoul City Hall and has also appeared on the U-17 and U-20 women's World Cup stage.
In June 2024, her debut season, her right knee ACL tore and she rested the entire second half. In the 2025 WK League regular season: 26 matches 8 goals 3 assists, averaging 1 goal per 3.25 matches, she was selected for the Best 11. In a match against Wales in November that year, she scored a debut goal in her 4th A-match. The 2003-born player whose ACL was torn scored a hat-trick at the Asian Games 2 years and 3 months later.
Women's soccer North Korea match September 21, Bangladesh match on 17
eTodayschedule coverage and Yonhapnews post-match coverage's remaining schedules match each other. The second match is the Bangladesh match on September 17 at 4 p.m., held at the same Osaka Nagai Stadium. The third match opponent is North Korea. Moving the venue to Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa at 4 p.m. on September 21 to inter-Korean matchto be held.
| Match | Date | Time | Opponent | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st match | September 14 | 19:30 | Myanmar | Osaka Nagai Stadium | 5-0 win |
| 2nd match | September 17 | 16:00 | Bangladesh | Osaka Nagai Stadium | - |
| 3rd match | September 21 | 16:00 | North Korea | Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa | - |
There was confusion in venue notation. The July 23 draw coverage said all matches would be held at Nagai, but later coverage noted the North Korea match as Shizuoka. Newsis wrote the Myanmar match venue as 'Nagoya Stadium,' but Korea Daily and Yonhapnews match it as Nagai. Unable to obtain the official standings, group stage rankings were not listed. The broadcast channel could not be confirmed.
The 5-goal victory and the coach's bitter remarks were together within one match. The viewing points for the remaining two matches are the early offensive play and physical condition the coach pointed out. Both matches kick off at 4 p.m. Korea time. The hat-trick player briefly stated her goal in the joint press area immediately after the match. "I want to maintain today's condition and contribute to winning the gold medal."
Frequently asked questions
Q. How old is Kim Min-ji?
Based on the Korean Football Association women's national team roster, she was born on August 21, 2003, and is currently 23 years old as of September 2026. Her team is WK League Seoul City Hall and her position is midfielder.
Q. When is the women's soccer match against North Korea scheduled?
The group stage 3rd match against North Korea will be held at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa on September 21 at 4 p.m. (Korea time). The previous match on September 17 at 4 p.m. will be the 2nd match against Bangladesh at Osaka Nagai Stadium. The schedule may change.
Q. How did coach Shin Sang-woo evaluate the Myanmar match?
Despite winning 5-0, he said immediately after the match "In the early stages, the players' bodies felt very heavy, and it's regrettable that the promised play didn't come out." He pointed out early offensive play and the players' physical condition as regrettable points.
Related official sites
- Korean Football Association — Check national team match results and official news
- Korean Football Association Women's National Team — Asian Games roster and player profiles
- Japan Football Association Asian Games Women's Soccer Schedule and Results — Overall tournament schedule and match results
- Seoul Metropolitan Sports Council Women's Soccer Team Introduction — Information on Kim Min-ji's team Seoul City Hall squad
Featured image · archive photo · not a photo from the current match in the article · Photo=Wikimedia Commons(monja), CC BY-SA 4.0
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